


I'll Be There For You ('Cause You're There For Me Too)

by cloudyskiesandcurlyfries



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Friends to Lovers, M/M, they're neighbors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-06
Updated: 2016-06-06
Packaged: 2018-07-12 17:34:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7115611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloudyskiesandcurlyfries/pseuds/cloudyskiesandcurlyfries
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles and Derek live across the hall from each other and slowly start to form a friendship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Be There For You ('Cause You're There For Me Too)

**Author's Note:**

> yes the title is totally the Friends theme song but it makes more sense once you read the story!
> 
> based off a prompts from my friend Charlie 
> 
> no beta so let me know if you find any mistakes 
> 
> enjoy :)

Stiles was excited. A new guy moved in to the apartment across from his and boy was he hot. He was totally Stiles’ type. Tall, rugged, beautiful eyes, stubble adorning his face, muscles peeking out from under his shirt, and an unusually kind voice. 

Stiles met Derek for the first time a week after Derek moved in. He wanted to wait until Derek got settled and his family finished helping him move in before he went and introduced himself. 

One day he finally worked up the courage to say hi. He walked across the hall, knocking on the door. A few moments later, a very sweaty Derek answered the door. 

“Oh shit sorry am I interrupting something?”

“No you’re fine. I was just finishing up a workout. You live across the hall right?”

“Oh! Yes! Hi, I’m Stiles. I just wanted to introduced myself.”

“Derek. Nice to meet you.”

“Yeah you too. Okay well that’s all I came here to do. So I’ll let you get back to your workout and I’ll see you around Derek.”

Stiles walked back to his apartment, internally freaking out over how sexy Derek looked. He was covered in a layer of sweat while wearing shorts and a tank top and it was oddly hot to Stiles. 

The next time they met was a few days later. Stiles was coming home from work at around the same time as Derek. They both stopped in the lobby to check their mailboxes. 

“Hey Derek, how are you?”

“I’m good Stiles, you?”

“Not too bad. Work was stressful today. 3 kids got into a fight and I had to put them in time-out and they missed recess and it then more kids acted out and I don’t know why Mondays are always so difficult.”

“You’re a teacher?”

“Yeah. I’m a kindergarten teacher. I love the kids but sometimes it’s just too much, you know.”

“I can imagine. Although I can’t say we get too many 5 year old kids at the bank so I don’t know too much about that.”

“The bank, huh? I figured you for a gym trainer kind of guy.”

“I’m an investment banker but I do training sessions at the gym some nights. You’re not too far off,” Derek said, smiling back at Stiles. 

Ever since moving, he hadn’t really talked to anyone outside of work so it was nice to have a familiar face in the building. 

By this time they’d reached the top of the building and the front of their doors.

“Well it was nice getting to know you a little more Derek, see ya.”

“Bye Stiles.”

As the weeks went on, they’d see each other in the lobby, having a quick conversation as they grabbed their mail and went upstairs. Stiles found himself really looking forward to seeing Derek for 5 minutes a day. 

Over the course of the few weeks, they’d share little bits of information about themselves. 

Stiles learned that Derek had a huge family back home but he was working in the city and it made financial sense to move closer to work. 

He also found out that their hometowns were only a few towns away from each other. 

Stiles told Derek about how he missed his dad now that they weren’t living in the same house. And how his mom passed away when he was little, and how sometimes it got a little lonely here. But how glad he was to have found a friend in Derek. 

Sometime over the course of their interactions, they eventually exchanged phone numbers. Derek would text Stiles about stupid customers that came into work, while Stiles would always have a funny story to tell Derek about what his 5 years olds said. 

Stiles hadn’t seen Derek on Friday after work and he didn’t get any texts from him. He figured Derek had a busy day at work and maybe had to work overtime. 

The next day when Stiles went for his run, he came back to notice a package waiting for Derek. And Derek was pretty punctual about picking up his mail everyday. 

Stiles grabbed it and made his way upstairs. He dropped his mail off first before going across the hall to see if Derek was ok. 

He knocked on the door and heard a weak voice tell him he’d be there in a minute. 

When the door opened, Stiles was greeted to the sight of a very sick Derek. 

His hair was sticking up in all directions, wearing only boxers and an undershirt with a blanket wrapped around him. His voice was scratchy, nose all stuffed up, and eyes watering and red. 

“Whoa man, are you okay?”

“I will be. Caught a cold from a client at the gym. So I had to take a sick day yesterday and I meant to text you but I’m just so exhausted. What’s that?”

Stiles looked down to see he was still holding the box and a few envelopes. 

“Oh shit yeah. I grabbed your mail. And I noticed you hadn’t texted me and you weren’t there yesterday evening after work so I just wanted to check in on you.”

“Thanks Stiles. Yeah I should be ok by tomorrow night. At least I hope I am because I don’t want to miss anymore work.”

“Shit that sucks. Well get better alright? And let me know if you need anything ok?”

Derek thanked Stiles before closing the door and promptly passing out on the couch again. 

Meanwhile, Stiles was worried. Derek was sick and not feeling well and it made Stiles feel weird. Like he should be taking care of Derek. So that’s exactly what he did. 

He made his mom’s famous chicken noodle and rice soup, taking it over to Derek’s a few hours later. 

When Derek answered the door this time, he looked a bit better. 

“Still sick?”

“Mmhmm. I think the nap helped a bit. Did you need something?”

“I made you soup. It’s a family recipe and my mom always made it for me. Whether I had a cold or the flu, or just scraped my knee and was feeling sad, she’d make it for me. I didn’t know if you were allergic to anything so I made it the normal way.”

“You made me soup? Why?”

“Because we’re friends. And friends don’t let friends suffer in sickness. So I’m here with soup and you best believe I’m staying to watch you eat it because I get the feeling you’re one of those guys who thinks they’re too tough and can like, sweat out the sickness or something.”

Derek ducked his head a bit because Stiles totally hit the nail on the head with that one. He moved to the side to let Stiles in and put the pot of soup in the kitchen.

Stiles poured some into a bowl for Derek, taking it to his on the couch and placing it in front of him. 

They turned on the Dodgers/Mets game and good-naturedly argued over whose team is better. 

Derek finished the soup, even asking for seconds. By the end of the night, he was feeling significantly better and a lot of that had to do with Stiles being by his side all night. 

They both dozed off during the 5th episode of The Office and when Stiles woke up at 3am, he was confused for a moment as to where he was. 

He got up slowly, placing a blanket over Derek before starting to clean up. 

He washed the dishes, plus the ones Derek didn’t have the energy to do over the last day or so. He left a note for Derek letting him know the soup was in the fridge and he’d see him tomorrow. 

He turned off the tv before leaving, closing the door behind him slowly. 

Stiles fell asleep that night with a big smile on his face. 

The next afternoon, Stiles made his way over to check on Derek. Derek was looking a lot better, and like he had even taken a shower. 

“Feeling better I see?”

“A lot better, thanks. And also thanks for doing my dishes. You didn’t have to do that.”

“Oh it’s no problem. I had to wash out the soup bowls anyways. That chicken noodle soup is a lifesaver isn’t it?”

“It seriously is.”

They spent all day Sunday lounging around, watching tv and eating. They ordered a couple pizzas to last them the entire day. 

They talked and talked, really getting to know each other. 

“So Derek, no girlfriend? I can’t imagine someone like you being single for too long.”

“I um- I had a girlfriend a while ago but she was kinda crazy- wanted to kill my family or something. Plus I’ve noticed myself wanting to bat for the other team lately.”

“Wait really you’re into guys???” Stiles exclaimed, spraying chunks of pizza all over himself. 

“Yeah, that’s not a problem right…?”

“No not at all. I’m the same way actually. I’m an equal opportunity kind of guy but I’ve never actually dated a guy.”

After that, they became even closer. Their nights were spent at each other’s apartments, eating dinner together and watching tv, become best friends.

Stiles was on his way home from work one day when the realization hit him. He was totally in love with Derek. 

Derek had become his best friend. He trusted Derek. He was smart, funny, caring, hot, and just all around a fantastic guy. 

And all of a sudden Stiles was nervous. He’d be seeing Derek in a few minutes and now he didn’t know what to do with himself and with this new information. 

He tried to act as normal as possible when he saw Derek. 

Derek pulled him in for a quick hug before they grabbed their mail and got in the elevator. 

And because the universe just wasn’t on Stiles’ side today, the elevator got stuck 2 floors before theirs. After a loud, unpleasant noise, the elevator stopped moving, the lights flickering. 

Derek pressed the emergency button, letting the lobby receptionist know she needed to call the fire department. 

After sorting that out, Derek looked over to see Stiles quivering in the corner. 

“Hey Stiles, what’s wrong?”

“I’m just – I’m a little um – claustrophobic. And this is like my worst nightmare.”

Derek leaned down to sit next to Stiles, sliding his hand into Stiles’. He squeezed it to show him he was okay and for comfort. 

Derek usually wasn’t a big talker but he talked for Stiles. 

He went on and on, talking about anything he could so he could keep Stiles distracted. 

Half an hour later the fire department had sorted it out, getting them out of the elevator and to safety. 

Stiles was still a bit shaky as he tried to walk to his apartment. Derek helped open the door for him and followed him inside. 

“It’s ok Derek. I’ll be ok, I think. You can head home if you need to get started on dinner or something.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I don’t know how to make magic healing soup but I am pretty good at dialing the phone and ordering Chinese food. Why don’t you go take a shower and calm down? I’ll be here, ok?”

Stiles nodded before heading back to the bathroom to take a nice hot shower to have some alone time to process that he was alive and ok. 

Derek ordered all of Stiles’ favorites, tidying up around the living room while he waited for Stiles and the food. 

Just as Stiles finally got out of the shower, the food arrived. 

“Oh damn I forgot to tell you what to order for me,” Stiles said when he saw the bags of food. 

“4 spring rolls, one order of chicken lettuce wraps, and sweet and sour chicken with rice, right?” Derek said with a smirk on his face. 

“Yeah, right…” Stiles was stunned that Derek remembered his food order. 

They ate while they started marathoning a new Netflix series together. 

“Thanks for today Derek. I know it was like a total overreaction but I just get like that in small spaces. I’m surprised I didn’t have a panic attack over it. But I’m sure that has something to do with you being there for me.”

“Anytime Stiles. I’m always here for you okay?”

“Okay.”

This time it was Stiles who grabbed at Derek’s hand, sliding his hand into Derek’s. He didn’t say anything. He just looked over at Derek to see Derek trying to bite back a smile. 

They’d talk about what all this meant some other time but right now Stiles was happy to be on the couch, curled up next to Derek.

**Author's Note:**

> [My Tumblr](http://www.dylanlovesthemets.tumblr.com/)   
>  [Sterek Writing Sideblog](http://www.cloudyskiesandcurlyfries.tumblr.com/)


End file.
